14 seats up for grabs as Bangladesh Bar Council goes to the polls on May 19

The Bangladesh Bar Council has scheduled the election for its new leadership on May 19, according to a gazette notification issued by the lawyers' top regulatory body.

According to the schedule released on Tuesday, nomination papers can be submitted to the Bar Council office from 10am on Apr 9 until 4pm on Apr 16.

The scrutiny of the nominations will take place on Apr 23, while the deadline for the withdrawal of candidature is 4pm on Apr 30.

Voting will be held from 10am to 5pm on the day of the election.

A total of 14 members will be elected to the council.

Seven members will be chosen from the “general seats" by advocates across the country.

The remaining seven will be elected from "group seats", representing members of local bar associations across seven designated regions.

Advocates who are certified by the Bar Council and are members of a Bar Council-authorised bar association are eligible to vote.

Voters from the Supreme Court Bar Association and the district bar associations of Khagrachhari, Bandarban, and Rangamati can cast seven votes each for the general seats.

Voters from other local bar associations can cast seven votes for the general seats and one additional vote for their group seat.

Under the Bar Council rules, all bar associations except the Supreme Court Bar Association are considered "local".

Polling centres will be set up at the Supreme Court Bar Association building and on the premises of civil courts in all district headquarters.

Additional centres will be established at civil courts in Bajitpur, Ishwarganj, Durgapur, Bhanga, Chikandi, Patiya, Satkania, Banshkhali, Fatickchari, Sandwip, Hatia, Nabinagar, and Paikgacha.